"To the Almighty God in heaven,
to the King of Glory, I thank you
that I can enjoy this treasure in front of me,
and that I can leave my people
with this treasure and wealth before I die.
Now I think it is time for me to go, so you
have to look after them for me. I can hold on no longer.
Order my troop to build a barrow
on the coast's cliff, after I have been burned.
It will stand on the horizon at Hronesness
and be a reminder of me for my people-
so that later crews sailing
will call it Beowulf's Barrow, when they sail
ships across the sea."
Then in his generosity, Beowulf unclasped
the gold collar from his neck and gave it
to Wiglaf, telling him to use
the collar, warshirt, and the helmet well
"You are the last of the
Waegmundings.
Our clan was wiped out by fate,
to their death. Now I should follow them. "
The warrior died after his last word
Beowulf had no more to talk about. The fire
of the pyre would attack him. His soul left
to heaven and will stand with the brave ones from the past.
Then, it was Wiglaf who was going through a hard time,
having to watch Beowulf
there on the ground, going through
his pain. The dragon from under ground,
his fatal destroyer, laid destroyed as well,
dead. No longer would the scales of the dragon
seek for safety under hidden treasure.
The sharp blade, hammered out
and acutely sharped, killed the dragon
so that it stiffly lay on the ground,
low beside the treasures.
He will never again glitter and fly
and show himself off at night,
excited to show off his beauty: he died
because of the strength of Beowulf. Original version
"To the everlasting lord of All,
to the King of Glory, I give thanks
that I behold this treasure here in front of me,
that I have been allowed to leave my people
so well endowed on the day I die.
Now that I have bartered my last breath
to own this fortune, it is up to you
to look after their needs. I can hold out no longer.
Order my troop to construct a barrow
on a headland on the coast, after my pyre has cooled.
It will loom on the horizon at Hronesness
and be a reminder among my people-
so that in coming times crews under sail
will call it Beowulf's Barrow, as they steer
ships across the wide and shrouded waters."
Then the king in his great-heartedness unclasped
the collar of gold from his neck and gave it
to the young thane, telling him to use
it and the warshirt and the gilded helmet well.
"You are the last of us, the only one left
of the Waegmundings. Fate swept us away,
sent my whole brave high-born clan
to their fianl doom. Now I must folow them."
That was the warrior's last word
He had no more to confide. The furious heat
of the pyre would assail him. His soul fled from his breast
to its destined place among the steadfast ones.
It was hard then on the young hero,
having to watch the one he held so dear
there on the ground, going through
his death agony. The dragon from underearth,
his nightmarish destroyer, lay destroyed as well,
utterly without life. No longer would his snakefolds
py themselves to safeguard hidden gold.
Hard-edged blades, hammered out
and keenly field, had finished him
so that the sky-roamer lay there rigid,
brought low beside the treasure-lodge.
Never again would he glitter and glide
and show himself off in midnight air,
exulting in his riches: he fell to earth
through the battle-strength in Beowulf's arm.
Lines 2794-2835: Claire Jung
Paraphrased version
"To the Almighty God in heaven,
to the King of Glory, I thank you
that I can enjoy this treasure in front of me,
and that I can leave my people
with this treasure and wealth before I die.
Now I think it is time for me to go, so you
have to look after them for me. I can hold on no longer.
Order my troop to build a barrow
on the coast's cliff, after I have been burned.
It will stand on the horizon at Hronesness
and be a reminder of me for my people-
so that later crews sailing
will call it Beowulf's Barrow, when they sail
ships across the sea."
Then in his generosity, Beowulf unclasped
the gold collar from his neck and gave it
to Wiglaf, telling him to use
the collar, warshirt, and the helmet well
"You are the last of the
Waegmundings.
Our clan was wiped out by fate,
to their death. Now I should follow them. "
The warrior died after his last word
Beowulf had no more to talk about. The fire
of the pyre would attack him. His soul left
to heaven and will stand with the brave ones from the past.
Then, it was Wiglaf who was going through a hard time,
having to watch Beowulf
there on the ground, going through
his pain. The dragon from under ground,
his fatal destroyer, laid destroyed as well,
dead. No longer would the scales of the dragon
seek for safety under hidden treasure.
The sharp blade, hammered out
and acutely sharped, killed the dragon
so that it stiffly lay on the ground,
low beside the treasures.
He will never again glitter and fly
and show himself off at night,
excited to show off his beauty: he died
because of the strength of Beowulf.
Original version
"To the everlasting lord of All,
to the King of Glory, I give thanks
that I behold this treasure here in front of me,
that I have been allowed to leave my people
so well endowed on the day I die.
Now that I have bartered my last breath
to own this fortune, it is up to you
to look after their needs. I can hold out no longer.
Order my troop to construct a barrow
on a headland on the coast, after my pyre has cooled.
It will loom on the horizon at Hronesness
and be a reminder among my people-
so that in coming times crews under sail
will call it Beowulf's Barrow, as they steer
ships across the wide and shrouded waters."
Then the king in his great-heartedness unclasped
the collar of gold from his neck and gave it
to the young thane, telling him to use
it and the warshirt and the gilded helmet well.
"You are the last of us, the only one left
of the Waegmundings. Fate swept us away,
sent my whole brave high-born clan
to their fianl doom. Now I must folow them."
That was the warrior's last word
He had no more to confide. The furious heat
of the pyre would assail him. His soul fled from his breast
to its destined place among the steadfast ones.
It was hard then on the young hero,
having to watch the one he held so dear
there on the ground, going through
his death agony. The dragon from underearth,
his nightmarish destroyer, lay destroyed as well,
utterly without life. No longer would his snakefolds
py themselves to safeguard hidden gold.
Hard-edged blades, hammered out
and keenly field, had finished him
so that the sky-roamer lay there rigid,
brought low beside the treasure-lodge.
Never again would he glitter and glide
and show himself off in midnight air,
exulting in his riches: he fell to earth
through the battle-strength in Beowulf's arm.